Peter (Fred Vogel) and Crusty (Cristie Whiles) continue on their magical murder-y tour of torture and bloody chaos, but now they spice things right the fuck up and attempt to achieve penance for their violent ways, but that leads to even more misadventure!
It’s that last bit of business that sets this entry in the series above it’s predecessors.
While the previous August Underground films were basically FX showcases/endurance tests, Penance ups the drama which makes our killers seem more “real” (and almost unbelievably, a tad tragic), which in turn makes this film even more chilling to behold (but don’t worry GoreHounds, your sinister sweet tooth will surely be tickled by the copious violence on display)… oh and none other than the fuckin’ Murder Junkies show up…
Since every cat n’ creep digs on comparisons, this is more Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer in vibe than Guinea Pig, but it’s still absolutely brutal from beginning to end!
But all isn’t bloodshed and bastards here, as Unearthed Films have done their usual outstanding efforts to pack this Blu-ray release with a bevy of bonus features!
First up we receive two new audio commentaries; one featuring effects artist Jerami Cruise, producer Shelby Vogel, and director Fred Vogel (moderated by Ultra Violent Magazine’s Art Ettinger), and the other featuring Vogel and editor Logan Tallman, which takes us through just what it took to bring this deviously demented material to life.
Two archival commentaries, featuring Vogel and the crew at Toe Tag Pictures respectively, are included as well.
Following that we get new interviews featuring Fred Vogel and Zoë Rose Smith, a solo chat with Vogel, Fred Vogel and Dave Parker, and Cruise, as well as a “making of” doc titled Disemboweled: Behind the Bile (featuring it’s own commentary track), a collection of extended and deleted scenes, a duo of music videos, a still gallery, and trailers.
August Underground’s Penance is by far the most effective film in the series due to putting a spotlight on characterization among all the blood, intestines, and other unimaginable muck, and if you like fucking “Capital E” Extreme horror this will surely satisfy and nauseate in equal measure!
